DEEP DIVE

TikTokers are posting their own versions of a dance to the 2010 song “Cannibal” by Kesha. The choreography is attributed to TikToker @ya.girl.bri.bri97 who posted a video of the moves in January 2020. The song has been featured in the background of over 3.5 million TikTok videos so far. The Cannibal TikTok dance which includes eating motions and other lyric-inspired hand movements has been performed by stars including Charli D’Amelio, James Charles, and Loren Gray. The lyrics featured in the clip go: 

“I am cannibal (cannibal) (I’ll eat you up)
Whenever you tell me I’m pretty
That’s when the hunger really hits me
You’re little heart goes pitter-patter
I want your liver on a platter
Use your finger to stir my tea
And for dessert I’ll suck your…”

Although the clip cuts the song off in a place that implies that the final word would be “D” to rhyme with “tea,” the next word in the song is actually “teeth,” a similarly salacious, but less directly sexual reference. 

@ya.girl.bri.bri97Hi!! I made this dance ❤️❤️ please try it #original #dance #originaldance #foryoupage #xyzbca #beatdistort #try #dancetutorial #tutorial #fyp♬ Cannibal – Ke$ha

On February 25, 2020, Kesha posted a Duet TikTok video of her doing the dance next to Charli D’Amelio.

@kesha#duet with charlidamelio #cannibal 👹☠️🥩

♬ Cannibal – Ke$ha

ya.girl.bri.bri, the 14-year-old TikToker who created this dance broke down the moves to the Cannibal TikTok dance in a how-to video:

@ya.girl.bri.bri97Someone asked for a tutorial for my dance so here ya go! #foryoupage #xyzbca♬ My dance tutorial – ya.girl.bri.bri97

@charlidameliodcya.girl.bri.bri97♬ Cannibal – Ke$ha

@addisonresherinicolee♬ Cannibal – Ke$ha

@jamescharlesthis is such an iconic bop (dc: @ya.girl.bri.bri97)♬ Cannibal – Ke$ha

@lorengrayhi♬ Cannibal – Ke$ha

@sarahmagusaraCheck the fit Karen fashionnova♬ Cannibal – Ke$ha

@zoelaverne💖♬ Cannibal – Ke$ha

@lexibrookeriverahahaha uh♬ Cannibal – Ke$ha

@theyellowteletubbiewhat is my life 🙂 #fyp #foryou #4u #foryoupage #viral #famous #blowup #cinematics #selflove #scared #relatable♬ Cannibal – Ke$ha